Infinite Grains of Sonic Traces:
Present Places from Absent Times

Professor Stephen Davismoon’s inaugural lecture will contextualise his compositional work, which focuses on the relationship between music and sound art creation, and its immediate surrounding environmental identity. Professor Davismoon’s compositions are based on the principles that a piece of music should reflect the sound ecology of the life it emanates from in order for it to be authentic. For example, the sounds of its cities or villages, its rivers, birds, insects as well as its human accents and expressive cadence.

The lecture will be illustrated by many examples from Professor Davismoon’s work as well as other pieces of music. It will include the performance of a new composition, especially composed to reflect upon the sonic ecology of a location steeped in myth and legend: Martin Mere Wetland nature reserve, Burscough.

Professor Davismoon studied at the University of Southampton and the University of Edinburgh before embarking on a 25 year professional composition career. He has written music for a broad range of ensembles and situations, from solo pieces through to works for full orchestra, as well as a number of live electronic/interactive; electroacoustic and sound-art installation pieces.

He has worked with many notable musicians, institutions and festivals including the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Roberto Fabbriciani, Scottish Opera, Centro Tempo Reale, The Edinburgh Quartet, Klangwerktage Hamburg; Finestre sul Novecento, The Tampere Conservatoire Symphony Orchestra and many more. Professor Davismoon became Head of Performing Arts at Edge Hill University in 2016.